Seeing Double
by Madilayn
Summary: Zoltar claims to have captured the Condor. The only way to release Jason and protect his cover is to use a duplicate Condor. And the result of that duplicate Condor will have interesting results for two of the team. Part of the "Generations" arc
1. Chapter 1

Title: Seeing Double 

**Author: Madilayn**

**Fandom: Battle of the Planets**

**Rating: PG**

**Disclaimer**: Battle of the Planets is owned by Sandy Frank. Gatchaman is the property of Tatsunko. No money is being made from the use of characters owned by Tatsunko or Sandy Frank.

**Summary**: Zoltar is boasting about capturing the Condor, and G-Force decides that they need to do two things: persuade Zoltar that the person he captured isn't the Condor and get Jason out of there. When she's asked to "impersonate" the Condor during the mission, a certain Swan discovers that there is often a lot of fun to be had when you don't have to be what everybody expects you to be.

**Part 1**

"But she looks nothing like Jason," complained Keyop looking at his sister.

Mark couldn't help it. He looked her slowly up and down. "No. Nothing like Jason."

If they'd only stop looking at her, it would help. A lot. Of course, if Mark looked at her more often like that, she'd be happier, but still. It did absolutely nothing to help her try to impersonate Jason – or more importantly, G2 – the Condor.

She looked at the others in Anderson's office. "I can do this," she said. "And the important thing is that Spectra thinks that they made a huge mistake in their identifying Jason as the Condor."

"Princess, I'll be honest here. You look nothing like a male."

She grinned, and the others found her grin through the indigo visor disconcerting. "So glad somebody noticed I'm a woman"

Tiny laughed. "Believe me, Prin, we've noticed. Some of us more than others," he said, glancing in Mark's direction.

"It won't work," he blurted out. "Princess, you look nothing like Jason – to start with you're a lot shorter than he is, you don't move like him and, well, umm…" and he trailed off.

"Mark, it's hardly like the two of you will be stopping to chat with the Spectrans. At the speed you move, they'll see the Eagle and Condor colours and that's what we want them to see."

"I'm the only one who has even a remote chance of doing this. I'll keep my wings around me – and if we keep far enough apart, then they won't be sure just how tall I am."

"What about fighting – Jase and I…"

"How long have we all trained together? I know exactly how all of you fight. Hell, I helped you and Jason work on your fighting style. If you don't believe me, let's go down to the floor now and go up against the sims."

Anderson nodded. "That would be a good idea. It would help you both. Princess, are you sure that you're up to this? That you can use Jason's weapons competently?"

She nodded. "Yes. I can even drive the G2 if I have to." The other four in the room went pale. "No. Not the car," said Anderson. "I don't think that will be necessary."

She noted the pale faces. "I'm a good driver, actually. Never had a chance not to be, not when you've got Jason teaching you."

Mark put his hand on her shoulder. "It's not that, Prin. I trust you; it's just that, well, what if something happens to the car? Jason won't take it out on you – he'll blame us. I definitely don't want to have to dodge Jason if something happens to his car."

"Better you than me," and suddenly Princess grinned wickedly. "You know, there may be something fun about this whole Condor impersonation after all."

Tiny was chuckling and Mark turned on him. "What's so funny?"

"It must be the uniform. She's starting to think like Jason already."

Mark flashed his patented "exasperated commander" look at Tiny and then turned to face Princess who was looking as demure as she ever could. It didn't deceive her Commander one little bit and he gave her the look he usually reserved for use on Jason only. The effect on Princess was the same as it was on Jason – absolutely nothing at all.

Mark sighed and accepted the inevitable "If you're determined, then let's hit the floor. Try to keep up with me."


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2 

The workout had proved several things.

Firstly, that Princess really could keep up with Mark, secondly that she could use Jason's weapons and thirdly, that when she wore the Condor's uniform, certain adjustments needed to be made to the normal underwear worn by the Condor; or rather, the underwear not usually worn by the Condor.

Both Mark and Anderson were insistent on the third, and after watching the video of their training, Princess agreed and was currently in the fitting room of her favourite lingerie store remedying this.

She added a few other purchases from the store – smiling to herself as she remembered the look on Mark's face as she first appeared in the Condor uniform. There was no doubt about it – he certainly knew that she was a female now. There was definitely something, well, liberating about the Condor's uniform. Form fitting, yet comfortable, she'd been astonished at her own confidence whilst wearing it. Just the sheer freedom of not wearing a skirt, and she loved the larger wings that gave her flight more impetus.

Most of all, she loved the thought that she could actually not have to live up to people's preconceived ideas about her. As the Condor, she didn't have to be the sweet, nice girl. That was the most liberating thought of all, and she was still grinning when she came into the J, and Keyop looked up at her. "Buy me anything?" he chirped? She shook her head. "Nope."

"What about me?" asked a deeper voice in her ear and she turned to see Mark standing close behind her.

"Perhaps," she said, hoping that he had meant what she thought – hoped – he meant. Deliberately, she threw a flirtatious look at him, letting the bag she was holding open slightly so that he could see the lacy items she had purchased. She was rewarded with the way his eyes hooded slightly and the catch in his breath.

"Just so you know," he said, his voice even deeper, huskier, his hand slipping around her waist and tightening slightly, "I notice everything about you. Always."

And then he stepped back, so swiftly she wondered if it had been her imagination. He picked up the soda from the counter and went back to where he had been sitting and looked at her.

"Soda?" he asked, gesturing to the seat beside him.

No. It hadn't been her imagination, and score one for her new "Condor" attitude. She smiled and nodded. "Let me put these upstairs first," she said, gliding towards the stairs. She ran upstairs not even looking where the bags landed when she had thrown them into her room, dashing back down again seconds later.

Even so, he had moved faster. A different booth, one of the back ones, and two cold drinks on the table in front of him. He caught her as she went to slip into the seat opposite and drew her down beside him.

Then the pair of them floundered. They had moved so far beyond their usual areas of flirtation, that neither of them knew where to go next, much less how to do next!

"So," she said unnerved by his closeness, by the hand still on hers, "when do we leave?"

Mark seemed relieved by the question, and she felt her heart drop.

"Tiny's checking out the Phoenix now, but we're still waiting on two more things."

"Oh?"

"They're still gonna check the cell Jason's in after we get him out – and for this to work, he still has to appear to be there. So I've asked Zark to rustle me up a duplicate Jason and a duplicate Swan."

"Robots?" Mark nodded.

"All it needs to do is sit in the cell and act like Jason."

"Basically try to destroy its surroundings and snarl at guards, then."

Mark grinned at her. "Just about."

At that moment, the picture on the television behind the bar changed, and their attention was captured by Keyop's cry "Zoltar again!"

"I still have your team-mate my G-Force friends," and Zoltar pulled Jason into the picture. Jason looked sullen, but unharmed. "All you need to do to secure his release is to turn over control of your planet to me! My patience grows thin. You have 24 hours." The screen resumed the previous program and Mark looked at Princess.

"At least we know he's OK. Zoltar sounds a bit desperate, though. Anderson was right. By not rushing straight in, I think we've spooked him."

Princess was sitting up very straight. "Did you see Jason's fingers? He was signalling us." She raised her communicator. "Zark, Princess here. Can you please upload copies of all Zoltar's transmissions about Jason to the Phoenix. I want to review them en-route."

Mark shook his head. "How could we not notice before?"

"We were too busy trying to track the transmission. It's not your fault, Mark. Jason knows we're doing all we can, and he's doing his best to help us. The last signal from him was an all clear, so that we know he's unhurt. I want to check the others to see what else he's managed to pass on."

"It's certainly a weight off my mind, though," said Mark. "I was worrying that he was injured. If he was, then getting him out would be difficult to say the least."

"You know, I sort of feel sorry for the Spectrans. Jason'll be furious he's been captured and then to have to lie low, it's going make him even madder. Then we're going to set him free and destroy the base."

Mark grinned evilly as all the implications of the situation percolated through his mind. "Yeah."

"You're enjoying this, Mark!"

"And you're not?" He wagged a finger in her face. "Remember you're only pretending to be Jason. Don't get any ideas."

"Ideas? Me?" She was tempted to bite his finger.

"I mean it, Princess. Don't do anything rash. Please."

"You just don't want to have to cope with having to control two Condor's."

Mark looked into her eyes, laughed lightly and gently tapped her on the nose. "I can handle two Condor's with one hand tied behind my back. What I couldn't cope with is if anything happened to you that I could have prevented."

She caught her breath, but decided to push. "Not even a little tiny rashness?" she asked, allowing herself to push his hair back off his forehead, revelling in the feel of it against her fingers, and moving her other hand from under his, sliding it up his arm.

His response was more than she had hoped as he caught the hand from his hair and brought it to his lips. "Perhaps a little bit," he said softly, nibbling on the tips of her fingers. "But only if I'm involved."

Greatly daring, she moved her hand from his arm to around his waist and moved closer, replacing her fingers with her lips against his. "I wouldn't dream of not involving you," she whispered, entirely satisfied with how this was turning out, especially since Mark's arms had also slipped around her.

Until their bracelets chirped. Mark swore softly and moved to answer, his free hand, however, he kept firmly around her.

She was more gratified by the cursing that had occurred when the bracelet chirped (although she loved the feel of his arm around her, fingers lightly, even absently, stroking her side). She forced her mind back to the conversation, taking in the fact that everything was ready to go. 

Mark looked at her. "Are you ready?" She nodded. "Keyop," he bellowed, "Let's go."

They slid out of the booth, Mark still keeping his arm around her. "Can you give me a ride? Tiny'll pick us up." Her mouth was dry and all she could do was nod again. He smiled at her and, after looking around, gave her a swift kiss. "Nothing to worry about."

He darted away to haul Keyop out and she touched her fingers to her lips. "That's what he thinks," she whispered.


	3. Chapter 3

**Part 3**

It was when they were about to transmute that Princess realised the problem.

"Mark, we can't transmute."

"Why not?"

"The Condor drives. Oh, and the Galacticycle isn't really manoeuvrable in the city."

"So, we stay as we are until we get to the rendezvous, then we transmute." A thought struck Mark. "You know, we haven't even checked if the bike will change when you do."

Princess shrugged. "You trigger the transmute. It'll change then no matter what I look like."

"No problem, then," he said grinning. "You're not getting cold feet?"

Princess swung onto the bike and shot him a scornful look. "Not me. Perhaps the noble Commander is?"

Mark shook his head and settled himself behind her. "Let's get going then," he said.

He couldn't stop grinning as they travelled towards the rendezvous. Princess had shown an entirely different side of herself – or had she? Mark found himself thinking back over her attitude and behaviour, and could remember a time before they grew up. Princess had always been able to match both him and Jason in attitude when they were kids, it was only when people started to call her a "young lady" and they all started to expect a certain attitude from her that she had changed. The fire that had once been a constant now only came in flashes.

He realised he had missed it, and decided that when this was over, he'd not let her sink back into her shell. He then slipped into a pleasant reverie, replaying in his mind the scene in the J before they were called.

This was brought to a shuddering halt when he felt a thump to the side of his head.

Princess was looking furious. "Mark, wake the hell up. We nearly went over then because you're not paying attention."

He blinked and took in her face, which was a little white. He looked around at the traffic and realised that they had almost caused an accident. _He_ had almost caused an accident by not paying attention.

"Sorry," he said, knowing it was inadequate, but also knowing that there was nothing else he could say. He looked at the skid mark behind them again and felt proud of her skill at avoiding it.

They moved off and this time he was paying attention, matching his movements to hers as she guided the bike through the crowded streets, admiring her skill. When they reached the rendezvous point and dismounted she turned to him.

"What was with you, Mark? It's usually Keyop I have problems with, never you."

"Sorry, I was thinking," he explained as he triggered the transmute.

Princess groaned. "Mark, don't think. You know that whenever you do the whole distracted thinking thing, it just gets us into trouble."

Mark looked at the Condor next to him and grinned. "But that's what you're for, G2. To pull my ass out of trouble."

They climbed aboard the now-transmuted bike, and Mark grinned as he realised that her response was lost in the noise of both bike and Phoenix as they docked. He'd be willing to bet quite a lot of money, however that it wasn't polite.

He considered, however, that he had had his revenge on her. After all, if he couldn't hear her response, then it was wasted.

They took their places and joined Tiny and Keyop in their normal systems rundown, all four compensating for their missing teammate.

Checks finished, Mark looked at the others. "Tiny, you know the coordinates of where we're going. Hit it."

"Big Ten, Commander," and Tiny increased power to the engines. "You know," he said, "it seemed mighty careless of them to transmit so that we could trace it."

"It wasn't easy to do, Tiny," Princess put in. "It took me three of his little segments before I could get any sort of lock onto it."

"Still, we've never been able to get any sort of lock before. It could be a trap"

"Never had one of us, before," said Keyop and laughed. "Had Jason for whole day before first transmission. Probably wants to get rid of him." That brought laughter from the rest, but there was a sombre note.

Mark looked around the cabin. "Tiny could be right about the trap, though. Princess, we've got to be even more careful when we go in. Tiny, did we get the robots from Zark?"

Tiny nodded. "Yeah, they're the hold. I was getting the creeps with them here."

"So they're good copies."

"You could say that. Politest Jason I've ever heard though. Want me to get them out?"

"Get the Swan out, but leave the Jason one where it is until we're ready to go. But we need the Swan on deck in case Zoltar comes calling."

Tiny dashed from the deck, and returned minutes later with a slender pink and white-clad figure.

"I still say it's creepy looking at myself."

"Can you still work your consoles if you're in Jason's spot?"

Princess nodded. "Not a problem. Give me a minute to re-route before the robot takes my place, though." Her hands flew and she rose, ordering the robot to sit, and took her place at Jason's console.

"Let the play begin," she said softly.

As if on cue, Zoltar's face appeared on their view screen.

"Well, G-Force, are you coming to rescue your team-mate?" he taunted

"What team mate, Zoltar? We've got a full compliment here. What we are going to do is rescue an innocent man. Of course, if you let him go, we may go easy on you."

As Mark spoke, Princess rose from her place and moved into Zoltar's line of sight, keeping her head slightly bowed and wings furled tightly around her. They watched Zoltar do a double take at the sight.

"You've got two choices, Zoltar. Set that innocent man free, or we'll do it for you."

Zoltar looked again at the Condor. It was the Condor – and yet something seemed out of place. He snarled. "Do your worst G-Force. Your innocent man might like to work for the glorious forces of Spectra." The picture was gone abruptly, and Mark could feel the tension leaving them all.

He looked at his team. "Sounds like Jason may have been a little trouble," he said blandly.

"If Zoltar's talking about recruiting him, we also know that Jason's still alive and unhurt," put in Princess.

Mark nodded. "It's rather tempting, actually. Letting Zoltar have to deal with Jason as a subordinate."

"Mark! You wouldn't!"

"No. Not really. How are you going with reviewing those tapes?"

"Slowly, I don't want to miss anything. However, so far as I can see, Jason's managed to get a quick message to us every time – and if you hadn't gotten me started tracking them I would have picked them up earlier. How did the rest of you miss it?"

"Too busy missing the wood for the trees, I suppose. What do the messages say?"

"He's in a cell by himself, that he's unhurt, that he's pissed off and, most importantly, that there are 3 cameras watching his cell – no actual guards. Mark, before we can do anything, I'll need to find the controls for those cameras. I want to loop some footage of Jason in the cell to give us the time to do the swap with the robot."

"What if we just move quickly?"

She shook her head. "We want this to be invisible. If I can loop about 30 seconds of tape, then nobody will notice us doing the switch. We can then unloop it with the robot in the cell."

"Right, first move then is to get you to the control room. I don't suppose Jason was able to say where that was?"

"No." She could have said more, but felt it was redundant. After all, they all knew that Mark sometimes asked imbecilic questions, and had given up trying to stop him. As a team, they had learned to just live with each other's idiosyncrasies.

"I still think it's a trap of some sort," put in Tiny. "It's just gone too smoothly. No Mecha, no destruction just a nice base we found."

"With Jason sitting in a cell in the middle of it."

"Screams trap to me," insisted Tiny. "Zoltar's been busy baiting us."

"Yes – but can't you see – he's getting desperate. Normally we rise to the bait immediately, but this time Anderson made us wait. If it is a trap, then they've been waiting a while for it to be sprung. They're going to be getting tired of waiting and off guard. But most importantly, they're going to be spooked when they see that we do have the Condor with us."

Princess nodded. "It's a psychological thing. If Zoltar's been telling his men that they've got the Condor – and Mark you have to admit, that Jason scares them a whole lot more than you do – then they'll be completely demoralised when they see Eagle and Condor colours. Anderson was right on that, and he was right to wait. At least we know that Jason's OK."

"How are you going to get the robot in with you?" asked Tiny

"We're approaching from the ground, so we'll just sneak it in. Wrap a blanket or something around it to disguise it. Perhaps they'll think its 3 of us going in. Zark said that he's programmed it to be able to keep up with us."

"That's a lot of perhaps and maybe, Mark."

"I know, but then the main thing is to get Jason out and make sure his cover isn't blown. If any one of us is identified, then the whole team is at risk."

"But why Jason?" burbled Keyop

"They must have already suspected him. Remember Lucy – they must have had an idea back then that Jason was attached to the team. Anderson also tends to use him as a driver, so he's been definitely identified as attached to Security. Perhaps they started to put things together.

"Just remember, team, if Jason's cover is blown then we can say goodbye to any freedom of movement we've currently got. It'd mean moving permanently into Centre Neptune and living from there. I certainly don't want that."

The others shook their heads. "We still don't know how they got hold of Jason."

"No. I intend to find out when we've got him out, however. If he's been careless…," Mark let the sentence trail off, knowing that if Jason had been careless, it would be up to him to deliver the appropriate punishment. He didn't want to do that, because, when he admitted it to himself, they were all more than a little careless.

No matter what, they would have to tighten up their personal security. He resolved to speak to Anderson when they returned about steps they could take.

His thoughts were interrupted by Tiny.

"We're approaching the base, Commander. What next?"

"Take her down, Tiny. Behind that ridge over there."

Tiny shook his head. "Too risky and too close. I'll do a pass close over the base and you'll have to drop in. You'll be harder to see then – more chance of success. The further you have to travel the more risk you'll be taking."

Mark looked at the pilot. He wasn't used to Tiny questioning his orders. "You're really worried about this, aren't you?"

"I still think it's a trap, Mark. I'm trying to make sure that you have the best chance of not springing it."

Mark nodded slowly, accepting Tiny's reasoning. "I'll go and get the robot. Princess ,find a blanket and be ready to go."

"Big Ten, Commander." All banter was put aside as the team moved swiftly to put their plan into action. Mark returned with the robot and it was wrapped in the blanket. With Princess on the other side, the grabbed it and rose to the bubble. "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be," she responded.

The bubble opened. "Let's go," yelled Mark as they leaped off, their glide to the ground slightly clumsy by the dead weight of the robot.

The entry was guarded by 4 guards. "I'll take out the guards, you move when I signal."

Princess nodded. "Robot, follow me when I move," she ordered. It nodded and Mark moved off. "Good luck," Princess whispered.


	4. Chapter 4

At Mark's signal, Princess ordered the robot to move, and they joined him at the entrance.

"I've taken out the guard," he said softly, "so getting in should be no problem."

"Now we just have to find the cell and the control room"

"Jason's signals said that he thought the cell was somewhere in the centre, so the control room should be close by," said Mark. He looked at the robot. "Follow us closely, " he ordered.

They slipped inside the base, making sure that they kept to the shadows, working their way towards the centre of the complex.

Mark scouted ahead, and took out all the guards that he found, until they discovered the trap that Tiny had been sure was there.

He blamed himself – he had been a little cocky and had blundered into it, and the falling net would have trapped him, except that one of the ropes holding it was severed neatly in two by a feather dart. He looked at the Condor standing at the entrance and nodded. At this point, he didn't care whether the uniform contained either Jason or Princess – the most important thing was that they were there, covering his back.

They were both expecting the sudden appearance of guards and Princess joined him in the centre of the room. "Get ready, " murmured Mark.

Princess nodded, making sure that she kept a few feet away from Mark, hoping that perspective would make her appear taller than she was.

As expected, the first shot was fired, and the two swung into action, weapons flying as they worked to destroy the resistance. Princess was quite amused at the reaction she was having from them. Cries of "Condor" echoed as she struck, and she was surprised at the sheer numbers who just threw down their guns and ran away.

Mark wasn't.

"I'm the Commander! Why don't they do that with me?"

"Probably because they know that you may just be merciful if you get them, Mark. They've learnt that Jason won't."

"Seems I'd better change my tactics."

Princess shrugged. "I'm more interested in finding this control room, Mark. Where do you think we should start looking?"

Mark looked around the room and suddenly grinned and pointed. "You are not gonna believe this," he said. Princess looked where he was pointing and was dumbfounded.

"A map? Just how dumb are these guys?"

A map it was, nicely set out with the cell area shown clearly, as well as the cell control area.

"Well, we know this isn't a base, now. From the looks of this, it seems to be a prison," said Mark.

"I suppose they have to keep the people they take prisoner somewhere," agreed Princess, "but it makes our job almost too easy."

"Trap?" asked Mark. They looked at each other. "No," he mused, "they've already tried that. Perhaps it really is what it seems."

"Don't count on it," snorted Princess. "I'm starting to agree with Tiny on this. It's all just too easy."

"Or is it?"

"Mark, you're doing it again."

"No, listen. We've found them. We've sprung the trap. They think they've got the G2. They know we'll come after him. We didn't. Anderson was right to make us wait. Zoltar's last message was desperate. He's confused. We've changed our tactics, and that throws everything out."

Princess was nodding. "And now, Zoltar's seen a full G-Force team, so he has to be wondering how valuable his prisoner is."

"Right. Jason's really in danger, now. If Zoltar thinks he's useless, then he'll kill him. "

"But Zoltar knows we're coming after the prisoner, so could have set up a trap. Still too easy."

Mark checked the map and started to move off, "We can't argue logic here all day. Somebody's bound to come along. Let's just be on our guard."

Princess nodded and moved away from Mark, her hand already holding a few feathers. Mark looked at her. "Be careful."

"I'm always careful, Mark," and she slipped into the shadows. Mark did the same on the opposite side of the corridor and the pair made their way towards the cell complex, only stopping to dispose of the bodies.

Princess grunted as she moved a larger than normal goon – or at least tried to. A feather dart pierced his throat, and she smiled gratefully at Mark as he came to help.

"You OK?" he asked, seeing her strain.

She nodded. "Only a problem when they have fat goons."

"Don't try to do it all yourself. Please." His voice was softer than normal, tone gentle and she saw the worry in his eyes and smiled at him.

"If I need help, I'll ask," she reassured. "Stop worrying," and she was off again, the darker colours of her uniform making her progress invisible. He followed, filled pride and awe at her skills.

This was the woman the team needed. This confident, capable woman. Not that she wasn't always good, but everything about her was more confident now. If only she didn't try too hard – which was her one besetting fault. He couldn't afford that on this mission.

He was still pondering when he caught up with her at the doorway to the cells.

"Well?" he asked.

"Only three guards, and a central console. Two doors, this one and one that appears to lead into the cell area. I think that the only way in or out is through here, and then through that console area. Mark, this whole setup looks familiar. I know I've seen the layout before, but I can't place where."

"Is it important?"

"It might be. If I can only work out where I've seen it before, then I'll know why it's screaming trap at me."

"No time. Let's get in and loop that footage, then do the switch."

She nodded, still perturbed about the layout. It was familiar. Too familiar, and she knew that there was something important that she should be remembering about it. She followed Mark into the area, efficiently taking care of one of the guards, leaving Mark to deal with the others as she started to access the camera console.

"Found it," she said, and started to work to loop some footage. "It's helpful as it's all digital," she explained. "No messing around with tape." A pause. "Done. I've managed to get sixty seconds, Mark."

"Start running it, and let's go and get Jason," he ordered. He looked at the robot with them. "Come," he said curtly and they sprinted through the far door.

Jason's cell wasn't hard to find, and Princess worried even more about the layout. A dead-end corridor lined with cell doors. The only way out the way they had come in.

Nowhere to hide. No cover. She looked at Mark whose eyes were darting everywhere. She knew that he now agreed with her. Both of their senses were screaming "trap", but they were committed now.

"I'm going to blast the door open, Princess," he said curtly.

"No! Let's try something else. We need that door intact." She moved forward fumbling with the Condor's belt. "The Condor seems to carry some rather unusual equipment," she said smiling and holding up the lock pick.

"Do you know how to use it?" asked Mark, intrigued. She nodded and knelt at the door, delicately probing the lock.

It didn't work. She paused and made an annoyed sound that made Mark think of an angry kitten. He smiled to himself. Never, ever make that comment to her, he noted. "Problem?"

"No problem," she said shortly and tried again. The lock was big, she realised, and the pick was too delicate. She just had to move it around more. She tried, this time using a different angle and was rewarded with a loud click. Success!

She stood and grinned at her commander as the door opened.

Jason stood on the other side and his mouth dropped open at the Eagle and the Condor grinning at each other.

He leaned against the door and grinned himself. This was just too good an opportunity to pass up. It would also give them some information.

He looked deliberately at Princess, allowing his eyes to travel up and down the slender form.

"Aren't you a little short to be a Condor?" he asked.


	5. Chapter 5

Seeing Double – Part 5

Mark pushed past Princess and looked at Jason. "Very funny, Jason. You want to get out of her, or just crack jokes?"

"Out. Definitely out. Zoltar makes a rotten host." He stood and then carefully felt along the edge of the thin mattress. "Give me a minute to grab my gear, though." He found what he was looking for, a slit hidden next to the edge binding. He slipped his hand through, rummaged about and extracted not only his bracelet, but also his gun.

"I'd wondered how you'd hidden those," said Mark. "All packed."

"Bag and baggage." Jason raised his arm and transmuted and Mark realised that he was bookended by two Condors.

He groaned. This was probably up there as one of his worst nightmares. He turned to the smaller figure. "Get that robot in here, Princess."

She stepped aside and the robot Jason entered the small cell, which was rapidly becoming overcrowded. Princess slipped past and pulled the shirt of the robot up, revealing the opening to its chest cavity. She made some adjustments and closed it up again, turned and grinned at the other two.

"Zoltar's going to get a big surprise when he trots "Jason" out next time," she said, her grin more of a smirk. "Once we see the transmission, I can make a nice boom!"

"You wound me, Princess," said Jason. "If I was more paranoid I'd think you wanted to get rid of me."

"But, Jason," she said, eyes wide. "Killing you has been one of my life's missions."

"Will you two stop it and let's get out of here," said Mark in exasperation.

"Wait, Mark," said Jason. "We really wanna blow up this place. It seems to be their main base, and main training station. We definitely do not want to leave it intact."

"Not to mention the extreme bad taste of using Star Wars as the model for their prison block," remarked Princess. "I hope we don't have to use a garbage chute to escape."

Mark was getting more annoyed with both of them by the second. "If we do, I blame you for standing chatting rather than us getting out of here." He started to move towards the central area. "We can talk and walk. Jason, you're right. I want this place destroyed. Let's get back to that Map so we can find the control area."

"Don't need that map, Mark. I know exactly how to get to the control area. Remember – I've been there several times."

"I know, but I want us to separate and cause some havoc. It'll be easier if we know where to go."

They were almost at the map area when they heard the noise of people. "Well, there's that idea gone to pot," said Princess. "Shift change?"

"Maybe. Let's separate and try to meet in the control room. And for god's sake, the pair of you keep apart. We're done for if they see two Condors together."

Jason smirked and took in the shape of the other Condor. "Not as much as if Mark looses control and sees an Eagle cuddling a Condor!" He vanished leaving Princess to seethe and plot revenge, before going in a third direction.

**

From the various noises they could hear in the distance, all three knew what sort of trouble the others were making.

When Princess and Jason met up at an intersection, and with only one way they could both go they couldn't resist grinning at each other.

"Lot of doors down there, Condor," said one Condor.

"Yup," said the other. "Lots of ways to make trouble."

"Yup."

"After you."

One of the Condors grinned and slipped inside the first door. The second opened the door next to it and tossed in a small explosive. He then darted into the door opposite.

The bang was the cue for the second Condor to appear and make a similar move, yet a little further down the corridor.

This went on several times, until the pair came to the end of the corridor which then seemed to open to a mezzanine. "More fun," said one Condor going right.

"Definitely," said the other going left.

Mark, who had just entered from below, had a ringside view of the havoc being caused. He considered intervening, but decided to just make himself invisible in his corner and enjoy the show.

The first cry of "Condor" as one appeared, caused guns to be aimed, but a smoke bomb stopped any actual firing. Confusion started when another goon pointed to the other side. "Condor!"

"How did he get there?"

"Condor!" screamed another at a form a little further down on the right.

"There can't be two fucking Condors!"

"Then how do you explain that?" Mark grinned at the edge of panic in the voice. The lack of "bang" had surprised him, until he realised that his pair of Condor's were using the Condor reputation as their weapon of choice.

It almost fell apart when Zoltar entered. "Get that G-Forcer!" he ordered.

"We're trying, Sire, but he keeps moving to fast. We think he's on one side, but then turns up on the other."

"Then there is obviously two people. I KNEW we had the right person. The other must have been an impostor."

"You can't impersonate the Condor, Sire," screamed one goon in panic. "Nobody can do that!"

Mark decided to take measures. "Princess," he whispered into his communicator," get out of there now. Get back to the Phoenix and either hide or see if you can change into your own uniform. Now."

"Big Ten," came the response, equally low voiced.

"Jason, be ready."

"Big Ten."

Zoltar had turned on his petrified goons and started to threaten to shoot those who didn't get a grip. Mark stood and jumped to the balcony above.

"You appear to have a small personnel problem, Zoltar," he drawled.

"I am not as gullible as my men," snapped Zoltar. "I have worked out your little ruse."

"What ruse?" The remarks made in the Condor's laconic way caused everybody to turn sharply to the other side.

"So, they rescued you," said Zoltar. "Where is your companion?"

"Just us here," said Mark. "Check your cells if you don't believe me."

Zoltar smirked and switched the video screens to the cellblock, which showed a sullen Jason sitting on the edge of the bed.

"We're just on our way to free your prisoner," said Jason. "I just wanted to have some fun first."

Mark tossed a small object towards the control panels where it stuck firmly.

"I'd start evacuation if I was you," he said. "That mini bomb may be small, but it makes a big bang – and you don't have long."

"Neither do you," said Zoltar, ordering his men to block entry to the jail.

"Time enough to do what we need to," said Mark as he and Jason dashed out and down the corridor.

"Phoenix, pick us up!"

Mark and Jason managed to clear the corridors in front of them by screaming "bomb" as they ran.

Jason smirked at the fleeing goons. "Zoltar just can't get good help, can he?"

"No – one little bomb and they all want to run away."

"What a shame."

Princess was at the rim when they arrived, urging them forward. "Hurry, I've rigged the reactor to explode," she explained.

"You were supposed to get back to the Phoenix!"

"I took a detour. I found a use for our robot Jason."

They were descending the bubble and felt the ship take off.

"Tiny get us out of here fast," said Mark.

"Already doing, Commander. Princess let me in on her plan."

"I wish she had decided to let me in on it," said Mark, more than a little annoyed.

"It was a spur of the moment thing," she explained, taking her seat. "I went via the cell area, and looped some more footage. Then I went and got the robot and ordered him to the reactor and to self destruct five minutes after my command. As soon as you ordered Tiny to pick you up, I sent the command."

"Glad to see you had so much faith in us getting out in time, Princess."

She snorted. "If it took you longer than five minutes to get from that control room out, then you don't deserve to be on the team," she said.

They watched the screen as the plume of fire showed her plan's success.

Mark looked at her and smiled. "Well done," he said. "And as soon as we get back to Neptune, your receptor is going to be fixed so I get my Swan back."

"You just can't cope with two Condors," grinned Jason.

"Not true," Mark replied amiably. "I just like looking at my Swan better." He looked intensely at Princess who smiled shyly back, her cheeks going pink. "She's much better to look at than a Condor," he reiterated.

"Prettier," piped up Keyop.

"You got it, Keyop," said Mark, not taking his eyes off Princess. "Though, Princess, you're good to look at no matter what."

"Room," was Jason's only remark.


	6. Chapter 6

**Seeing Double – Part 6**

Princess fastened the suspender to the silk stockings she had bought before the mission and stepped into the shoes and turned to the mirror.

She smiled at her reflection. Even if only she knew what she had on under her everyday clothes, it was worth it. She felt sexy, and if she felt sexy, she would have the confidence to try to take things with Mark further.

Perhaps she could even give him a glimpse occasionally of what was there. After all, it was all just for him.

She put her hands over her breasts, supported by the boned bustier she wore and slowly ran them down to the skin showing at her hips where the bustier stopped and her panties began. As she did so, her breath quickened as she imagined that it was Mark's hands. She closed her eyes as she ran her hands back up and cupped her breasts. What would Mark's hands feel on her body?

As he touched her, would he kiss her? Or just look at her with that direct gaze of his. The thought of his doing either made her tingle and she squeezed her breasts slightly, her eyes still closed, imagining the man she loved touching her.

The noise was slight, so slight that if it wasn't for her cerebonic enhanced hearing, she wouldn't have heard the door open and the soft noise of the person who entered.

She opened her eyes slowly – she knew it was Mark. Only his presence made her feel this aware. Their eyes met in the mirror, and she saw in his eyes appreciation of what she was wearing.

"Is that what you got me for a present," he asked, his voice husky.

She wanted to turn around. Wanted to try to seduce him, but all of a sudden she felt shy. "Yes," she whispered. "But I didn't think that you'd see, I mean not yet…." She broke off in confusion.

"You did want me to see though?"

"Oh yes!" Princess still couldn't turn around. "I've wanted you to see for a long time now." She flushed an even brighter red. "It's taken me months to get up the courage to get this all together. Let alone put it on."

Mark took in the packaging strewn on the bed. "Why now, Lexa?" He took a step forward, desperately wanting to touch her.

Princess took a deep breath and finally turned to face him. "It was being the Condor, Mark. It gave me the freedom to be, well, me. I haven't been me for such a long time. Not since the Chief gave us the talk about sex and being a nice girl."

She looked him in the eye. "I don't feel like a nice girl when I'm with you Mark. I don't want to be a nice girl with you."

"You don't?" He was leading her, he knew, but he wanted to hear it from her, to confirm that she felt the same way that he did. "I must admit, I've wanted to ignore the Chief's rules about you for a long time."

"You have," she breathed.

"As if you couldn't guess," he grinned at her, reminding her of their flirting.

"Well, I did have an idea,' she confessed. "But I couldn't do anything. Not whilst …"

"Whilst you were only the Swan?"

"Yes." Her voice was very low and she looked down, only to be confronted with evidence of Mark's physical reaction to her. "Oh!"

Mark moved forward and finally reached out to touch her, drawing her towards him and letting her feel how much he desired her, at the same time revelling in the feel of the scantily clad woman against him. "Oh indeed." He bent his head and kissed her, really kissed her for the first time. She responded in a way that made him throb all over and only his own iron self control stopped him from tumbling them both to the bed.

He stepped away slightly, taking a deep breath, remembering the door he had easily entered by. "I want you so much," he said, reaching out and stroking along her jaw. "I don't want to leave. I want to stay here and make love with you all night." He drew another deep breath. "But if you're not ready, I'll go. And I won't do anything until you say so. But I won't stop trying to persuade you either."

"You'd leave if I asked?"

It was the hardest thing he had ever said. "Yes." It came out from between gritted teeth. "But if I go now, you won't see me for a few days. I'd need time to adjust again, Lexa. I don't want to be just your friend. And I've never ever felt like a brother."

"I've never considered you a brother. And I don't want you to leave Mark." She looked him straight in the eye. "And if you stay now, I don't want to have to spend another night away from you."

Mark turned swiftly and Princess' heart sank. He was leaving! She dropped her head, tears blinding her as she also turned. Then she heard the click and felt his hands go around her waist as he pressed close, and once again she felt him hard against her She felt him kiss the back of her neck and raised her head to find him looking at her in the mirror.

"I really never had any intention of leaving," he said softly, allowing his hands to stroke her body, allowing them to trace the same path her hands had followed. "I would have tried everything to have you let me stay."

"Mark," she breathed and tried to turn around.

"No," he said. "I want you to see me touch you, so I can tell you how much I love you, how much I want you."

His hands moved and she watched in the mirror as he removed his shirt, how his hands moved to his belt and his pants dropped. He kicked them away and came up against her again, this time she could feel the heat of his body through the silk she wore.

"I want to touch you through this," he said softly, "and then I want to undress you and touch you naked. To worship your beautiful body and to make love to you all night long."

She leaned back against him, her body tingling at his touch, panting slightly at the light touch of his hands on her. She felt her nipples harden as he stroked her breasts and felt a heavy wetness between her legs at the thought of touching him, of them both being naked, and of making love.

"Please Mark, I want it too."

He turned her around to face him. "You have to know, Princess. I've had other girlfriends. Other lovers. Nobody I've loved like I do you."

"I know. I hated them. Your lovers. I wanted it to be me."

"And that's just it. They weren't you. In the end, they weren't you."

"I'm a virgin." She blurted it out and went red again. "Once, I, well, I came close. But," and again she stoped.

"But?" Mark was bewildered. He had had no doubts she was a virgin – but to find that she had somebody that she had loved enough for sex was a revelation."

"Jason."

"Jason!" The mood left Mark and he was filled with anger. Jason knew how he felt about her. How dare he!

Princess giggled. "No! Jason stopped me. Well, more than stopped. He found me and, well I won't tell you. Suffice it to say the poor man is terrified enough without you going after him as well. But Jason sprung us and basically dragged me away. I was a little drunk," she said sheepishly.

"Drunk?" Mark was growing more and more bewildered by the second, although his anger had started to ebb and he was more curious now. Princess? Drunk? And he hadn't known?

"I saw you with that girl. You know, the one that was kidnapped that you rescued. I know that you and she were lovers. I was following you. I saw you making love to her at your place. And I thought that if you were making love to her you didn't want somebody like me. SO I decided that I had to get some experience."

"Oh Lexa! My beautiful, exquisite, logical, practical Lexa! I didn't love her and she certainly didn't love me. She had a crush on me at first because I rescued her and then decided she wanted me because I turned her down. Then, well, I'm not strong enough to turn down a beautiful women who is naked in my bed. Not when I've just come from training with you, and having to deal with seeing you in a wet swimsuit. That was the first time we had sex. And that's all it ever was for both of us really. She knew it."

"I thought you loved her. You sounded like you did."

"I was having sex, Lexa."

"You called her honey!"

Mark grinned. "Wait until you hear what I call you." He bent down and kissed the tops of her breasts. "Can I tell you a secret?"

Princess was dizzy from his actions. "What?"

"It turns me on that you were so jealous. I guess I was sort of hoping that you might find out and be jealous. I wanted to find out if the fire I knew you had extended to your loving." He licked her skin, letting his tongue slip into her cleavage and he sucked gently.

"You did?"

"I'm not happy you wanted to screw around for experience though. If it had been me found you…"

"Jason was quite sufficient. He left me in absolutely no doubt about how you would feel."

Mark kissed her and flopped back to lie on the bed, drawing her with him, loving the feel of her silken clad body against him – and determined that even those scraps of silk wouldn't be there long. "Jason has had to listen to me rave about you a lot," he confessed.

"And it took you this long?"

"I'd be lying if I didn't say I wasn't enjoying pissing off Jason."

He felt her laugh against him. "I wouldn't mind betting that if you hadn't already locked the door, he would have locked us in and made sure that something happened."

Mark decided some serious exploring was in order, and he gently lifted her breasts out of the bustier – where they had been apparently attempting an escape anyway. He bent his head and licked her nipples before gently blowing on them, loving her moan of pleasure, loving how they hardened under his tongue. "Wouldn't have happened," he murmured before starting to suck on her breast, cataloguing the sounds she made with each of his actions. He stroked his hand down her body and cupped her between the legs, moaning into her breast as he felt the wetness through the white panties.

"My Lexa," he growled, stroking her through her panties. "You really do want me"

She strained up to meet his hand. She had touched herself enough to want him to do more there. "Why?"

"I look the key. Told you." He nipped her breast then raised himself, slowly stroking his erection as he gazed at her. "You know, I really think you should be naked too." He sat back on the bed. "I want to watch you take your clothes off. And then I want to kiss your body all over. I want to taste every inch of you."

"Mark!"

"Lexa, I'm not going to go all prudish. I enjoy sex. I love watching a beautiful woman undress. And I love oral sex. In fact, I'm really going to enjoy teaching you how to suck me until I cum in your mouth."

He got up off the bed and drew her up. "I had absolutely no intention of leaving tonight, Lexa. But I'm not intending to rush you. Everything we do will be at your pace, when you're ready. But I really do want to watch you undress and then kiss you all over. You're going to have to get naked sometime."

"I.. " she turned away. "I trust you, Mark. It's just that…"

"Have I disappointed you?" He sounded contrite, hoping he hadn't pushed her away.

"No! It's just that… I hope you don't get bored with me."

"With you?" He was genuinely surprised. "Lexa, just seeing you leaves me so hard I'm almost incapacitated. Believe me, if you touch my cock right now, I'm going to cum. It's all I can do from ripping that stuff off you, throwing you on the bed and just screwing until we both can't take any more. Trust me, my darling, I'm not going to get tired of you anytime in this lifetime."

"Not even when I'm old and saggy?"

"Nope. Because I'll have watched you get that way, and because I'll be old and saggy with you, I'll still think that you're the most beautiful girl in the galaxy."

She stepped close and for the first time, she kissed him. She felt him stiffen and felt a wetness against her and gasped. He hadn't been just giving her a line. She looked dismayed until he kissed her again.

"Don't be unhappy Lexa. Trust me, I'm so aroused by you that by the time you get undressed and back on the bed, I'm going to be very hard again." He placed her hand on him, and she felt him growing harder. "You do this to me, Lexa. You and no other. No other woman has had this power over me."

He lay back on the bed and put his hands behind his head.

"And remember, now I'm here, you're never going to get rid of me."

Downstairs, Jason came out of the kitchen where he put away the last of the dishes. "Ready to go, Keyop?" he asked.

"Yes, but no idea why. Princess here."

"Princess may as well not be here," said Jason, "and if I left you here at the moment, I know of three people who will want my tail feathers."

"Mark and Princess kissy kissy."

"They better be!" Jason glanced upstairs as they left. If Mark ever hurt Princess, he' be answering to him. And he'd make doubly sure that if Princess ever needed, then he'd be there for her.

And keep his own feelings to himself.


End file.
